Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Selangor and the term ‘Allah’ — The Malaysian Insider

JAN 8 — Today, the Selangor Sultan ruled that non-Muslims cannot use the term “Allah” in their religion. Apart from Muslims, Christians from Sabah and Sarawak, and the Sikhs, use that Arabic term.

The state Ruler is repeating what Islamic authorities have been saying for years, based on a fatwa gazetted three years ago.

“His majesty the Selangor Sultan has made a decision and decreed that the word ‘Allah’ is a sacred word specific to Muslims and is strictly forbidden to use by any non-Muslim religion in Selangor as stated in a fatwa and gazetted on 18 February 2010,” MAIS secretary Datuk Mohd Misri Idris said in a statement.

Fact is, non-Muslims need not get excited by today’s statement. It really does not change anything for those who use the term in their prayers.

Fact is, Christians and Sikhs and people of other faiths apart from Islam do not look to the Selangor Sultan for guidance or direction in the practise of their religion

He is the leader of Muslims in the state. Period.

For non-Muslims, he is the head of state and is accorded all respect for that but he has no say in how non-Muslims practise their faith or call their god.

That is the reality of the situation in Malaysia, that no one or no faith can legislate how people want to worship or name their god.

After all, Selangor today is more cosmopolitan, having hosted Sikhs for more than a century and now Malaysians from Sabah and Sarawak who have used the term all their lives without affecting the Muslims.

So, keep calm and pray the way you have all these years.

After all, those in Selangor have to use the Arabic term when singing the state anthem. There has been no objection or any cleric wondering who “Allah” is in the lyrics.

This too will pass. And come up again from time to time. Move on from this. Pray as you will. Live in peace. That is as important as how you call God.